Local rivals Chesterfield are talking to the Stags about the possibility of signing the winger, who is halfway through the two-year contract he agreed last summer when arriving at the One Call Stadium from Hereford.

The Spireites are one of a handful of clubs to express an interest in Clucas, but the Sky Bet League One newcomers look like the only ones who may follow it up with an actual offer for the 23-year-old.

Cox wants the matter sorted one way or another so that he can prepare his side for their League Two fixture against Burton on Saturday.

"Talks are ongoing but I want to get this nipped in the bud as soon as possible this week - hopefully in the next 24 hours," Cox told the Mansfield Chad.

"It's not doing Mansfield Town, Chesterfield or, more importantly, the player any good with all this speculation. I want to know as quickly as possible if he is going to be a Mansfield Town player.

"Money has now been talked about but nothing agreed and it's all up in the air.

"I want to plan for Saturday's game with Burton knowing if Sam will be here or at another club.

"I have told the lad why he's not been involved in the last couple of games as he could be moving on and I can't pick a side with someone in it who could be gone within 24 hours.

"Someone like Sam is always going to get a lot of enquiries, it's only when you get down to the nitty gritty of finance you find out how serious clubs are.

"I understand the situation. We all have to cut our cloth accordingly and every player has his price. That's football. Also, Sam is a free agent at the end of the season. I am sure the chairman and the board will make the decision in the best interests of the club.

"I just need to plan for the rest of the season and, if Sam moves on, look at other avenues. I can't afford to lose any more players with our threadbare squad and Sam will be very hard to replace.

"If Sam does move on then that will be the conversation I will have with the chairman and see where that leads."

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